Mold assembly



NOV' 6 1951 c. A. NICHOLS 2,574,223

MOLD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l .ff fla 8 Nov' 61 1951 c. A. NICHOLS;K 2,574,223

'MOLD ASSEMBLY l Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f1 /ff L- fr' F1 v f7 JT "y J' l A Wa JNi/ENTOR. i WM w/ NOV. 6, A N|CHOLS 2,574,223

` i MOLD ASSEMBLY I Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 67d INVEN TOR.

'Y M //m B W Mw c. A. NICHOLS MOLD ASSEMBLY Nov. 6, v1951 Fil'ed Nov. 29, 1947 5 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

NOV. 6, C. A. NICHOLS a MOLD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 29, 194'?v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mmm@ IN V EN TOR.

BY I M /'w .9 aww/4% Patented Nov. 6, 1951 MOLD ASSEMBLY -Ghar1esA. Nichols, Anderson, 1nd.; assigner. ,to '[GenerakMotor-s Corporation, Detroit,` Mich., a

corporation 'of Delaware Application November 29,1947`,";Sera`l No; 78 8;9 43

(Cl. 18a-42) vtl. Claims.

This invention relates to molds used in the .manufacturerof parts moldedfrom thermosetting material.

Anobject of the invention, is ,toreducev the. cost ,f-omanufacture of molded equipmentby reducing the number of diierent partsthat are required. :iIn the" disclosedembodiment, of thepresent Iinvention this. object z-is aocomplishedby providing mold yframes withv which dies and their associated knockout". pins canine dreadily assembled i. without.disassemblna the. sniold..frames.

f lurther. .objects and. advantages of .the .present A invention Willnbe apparent fromv the followinsf .f.description, reference being, Ahad to the, accom- ,..panyngrawings whereina, preferred embodimff nt of one., form .,of the.. .present invention is ..clearly. shown.

In thedrawingsz Fig. 1 .whichis a view on the lineG- -G ofFig. iis aplanyiewf.,a:lowermold framoconstructed in, accordance. with the. ypresent invention;

-. Fig.. 2 fis a composite viewshowing chieflythe I.upper mold frame. It isdivided `by Vdiagonal lines .and. yy into segments, C, D, E andF which are vien/staken respectivelypn lines C-C, D--D,

E-f-E. and of Fig.. 3;

Figli isa sectional view jthrough both -the upper` and lowermold frames and is taken onthe lineA- A of Figs.r land 2;

Eig., 4 isafsectionalview through ,the upper .and'iower mold frames 4and is taken onthe lines lof Figs. 1 and 12;

-Fig., 5 is a LView inthe direction kof arrow. 5. of

.'Fig. fl;

Fig. 6 V is asecton'al jview. on"thej line H-'-;H,-of Fig: 3; Y

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on theglinejJ+J of Fig-3;

Fig.. 8 is ajraementarysectional vewongthe line 8f8 of1Fig 3 y 9 is. a fragmentary side View olla.- press equipped `with, the ,t moldsmshown in the other figures. VThe pertain ASection in Fis. 9 are on a .vertical plane intersecting.` the.. axes of theA posts ,2| and 22.

The press shown inA Fig.; ais .disclosed in :the oopending.. applications oflfNichols et al., Serial .No.. 692,2 74, led Augustg22, ,1946now- Eatent t No.2,523.137, and .Serialf No. 774,592 led September 1 1. 1947. rhefpresssomprises acbases supporting posts .2 l. .and. 22 which guide` forvertical moyement a plate- 23.. Whichrismoved .Verticallr by a hydraulic. senwmotonnot shown. A turret or table.24 ,is attachedto a, bearing.,.sleeve 1..25 which: is journaled 9.11.1511?. postll. The vieisht .of f -the rtable :and .supported parts is taken` by a vstepbearing-ZB carried bysupportjZ] resting upon thebase .20.

7: Base 2. supports an injection servomotor comprising a cylinderand a piston 3| whose rod 32 f carries. a. screw Vv33 .secured-iri .adjusted position :byY nut 35. .Screw 33 has a .T-head `35 for engagan injectionramto bei described. Base 120 :supports an. ejection..servomotor; comprising a 4...cylinder ,36 .whose ,piston, not.shown,is connected with-ia; I od 31,". QOImBCted with a' 'Ff-head' 38 adapted to eneagefaninjection ram.

The tableli supnortstwo lower mold assem- ,h liesiii, theleftone being atl the molding station and. the ,right onetbeing at the loading station.

Referring .to Flei, ,themoldassembly 40 cornprises abaseplatell whichtogether with a heat .insulating platen is secured .to the table 2d by screws 43 (Fig. 4) passingthrough Washersv 44 andthrough holes in the/'plates 4L and 42; 'and threaded into the tableZ. Table 24 has locating liolesli which are'diametrically opposite and are fequidistantfromthe axis of rotation ofthe-table.

.liha'cl'nhole.'v M .receives a locating ring 46 which .screws 4'! .attach .to thegbase plate 4I.

Plate 4 I supports. three similar 'blocks' 43 tand a block 49 which. is. slightly -diierent (Fig. 7.)

The blocks i i138. and T49. support a'. block v50 (Figi 6)` andthe block50 supports a block '5I :(Figs. 31and4)."The

base 4|. and theblocksare securedby screws'52.

Accurate location of plate 4I; blocks 4B, `50 and 5I is afforded by .pilot pins v5ft :which set Ascrewsv 54a block 5 8, in alignment with holes 453a in vblock '48, or holes '49a' ini'block 449. 'These aligned holes Areceive Velectrical 'heatingelements h (Fig. 1)

which are retained byclips 55 attached by screws 56 toblock 5I. l"The lead'wires of'the' heating elementsgare; brought out through notches-51 (Fig."4). The lower portionspof--holes 48h of v blocks 48, or'holes' 49o of block 49 (Fig. 7) vare'in alignment with holesv Mb. in plate Mgand` With holes 4211 in plate 142. "Through these aligned holes a toolmay be passed'for the purpose of .driving outa heating element in case it sticks. Block,.49 (Fig. 7) .Whichdoesnot receive a ypilot Vfpin. 54 has. an vvadditional f hole. 5a in lalignment with hole 59 in plate Sil and in alignmentwith .h OleiEoin platee! .(Fig. 1 Thesealigned holes freceive an., instrument. ti which! is, responsiveA to temperature .forjhe purpose oijegulatng the .,flow of electric current-to.theheating elements.

Base 4 lsupports.buttons 6 Iiior receiving-the lower surface of plate 62 having parts 62a which extend between the blocks 48 and 49. Screws 63 attach to the plate 62 a plate 64 having parts 64a which extend between the blocks 48 and 49. Plate 64 supports push-back pins 65 (Figs. 4 and '1) which extend through holes in plate 50 and 5| and the upper ends of pin 65 are flush with the upper surface of the block 5|. The heads 65a (Fig. 4) of pin 65 are received by holes counterbored in the underside of the plate 64 and these heads are retained due to engagement of plate 64 with plate 62.

Plate 62 is counterbored to receive the flange 66a of a sleeve 66 retained by plate 64. Sleeve 66 provides a guide for a rod 61 which screw 69 secures to a ram 69 operating in a compression cylinder which has a iiange 1| (Figs. 3 and 6) received in a counterbore provided by the plate 50. A key 12 locates the cylinder 10 relative to the block 50. Key 12 fits in a notch 13 of the cylinder flange 1| and a recess 14 of block 50. The upper end of cylinder 10 has runner groove 15 and near the lower end thereof cylinder is provided with longitudinal grooves 16 to relieve the vacuum in the cylinder when the ram 69 is moving down. A dowel pin 11 locates the ram 69 with respect to the rod 61 when the screw 68 is turned. The turning of the rod 61 is prevented by a key 19 extending into a recess 19 provided by plate 62 through the sleeve 66 and in a longitudinal groove 80 provided by the rod 61. The lower end of rod 61 has a T-head 8|, the sides of which are defined by radial grooves 82 and 83 (Fig. 5) whose center of curvature is in the axis of table 24. The T-slot 8| is adapted to receive either the T-head of screw 33 attached to piston rod 32 or to receive the T-head 38 connected with the piston rod 31 of the knock-out servo which includes the cylinder 36 (Fig. 9).

The block 5| is provided with four rectangular notches 90 (Fig. 1) having rounded corners at 9|. Each notch 90 receives a die base block 92 (Fig. 3) which is shaped like the notch and which rests upon the upper surface of block 50. The base block 92 supports a die holder block 93 having a straight slot 94 for receiving a key 95 which fits into a straight slot 96 in a clamp block 91 which screws 99 secure to the block 5|. Die block 93 receives a lower cylindrical die member |00 having a iiange |0| provided with a notch for receiving a key |02 received also by a notch in the block 93 whereby the die |00 is located. Die |00 is provided with a center pin |03 (Fig. 8) and side pins |04 which respectively dene a recess and two openings in the part molded in the die |00. Die |00 provides vopenings for receiving knock-out pins I0 (Fig. 3) which extend through holes I I| in block 92, through notches ||2 provided by block 50, between the blocks 43 and 49, and through holes provided in a plate |3 which are counterbored to receive the lower head ends ||4 of pins ||0. The four plates ||3, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, are secured to plate 62 by clamps H5 attached to plate 62 by screws ||6. When the clamps 91 and ||5 are removed the loose assembly of the die parts and knockout pins can be removed without disassembling the mold frame. This loose assembly includes die |00, die carrier block 93, the die base block 92, pins I0 and plate II3.

The upper die assembly |40 is constructed ewhat similar to the lower die assembly. It heat insulating plate |42 attached metal plate |4|, which screws ers |44, secure to the 4 vertically movable plate 23 of the press. The plate |4| supports blocks |49 and |49 corresponding to blocks 46 and 49, a plate |50 corresponding to plate 50 and a plate |5| corr-esponding to plate 5|. Screws |52 secure parts |4|, |48, |49, |50, |5| together. Dowels |53 locate the blocks |46, |49 relative to plate |4|. There is a cross-shaped plate |62 corresponding to plate 62 to which a plate |64 is attached by screws |63. The plate |5| is provided with notch |90 like notches 90 of plate 5|; and each notch |90 receives an upper die 200 located within a die retainer block |93 and located by a key 202. The die retainer block is backed up by a block |92 which is backed by the block |50. The die retainer block |93 has a straight slot I 94 which receives a straight key |95 received by a straight slot |96 in a clamp block |91 which screws |98 secure to the block ISI. The die 200 provides a hole for receiving a pin 2 0 passing through a hole 2| in block |92, through the notches 2|2 provided by block |50, between the blocks |48 and |49 and through a hole in a plate 2|3 which is counterbored to receive the head 2|4 of pin 2|0. Each plate 2|3 is retained by a clamp 2|5 which a screw 2|6 secures to the plate |62. The blocks |50 and |5I, |48 and |49 are provided with holes |5|a, |50a, |48a and |49a (Figs. 4 and 2) respectively for receiving heating elements h and aligned holes at (Fig. 2) for receiving a temperature responsive instrument t. The plate |64 carries push-backpins |65 which are secured in the manner of pins 65. The holes `54b 1n block 5| which contain pins 54 (Fig'. 4)

receive pilot pins |54 which pass through holes in the upper plates and which are secured by set screws |54a to the platesI |46. The upper surfaces of pins 54 are slanted as shown in Fig. 4

and the holes 54h are in communication with 'side openings 54o so that dirt can be blown out by an air nozzle when the upper mold is elevated above the lower. Screws |52 secure to blocks |5I, |50, and |48 to the plate |4I. Dowel pin |53 locates the blocks |48 and |49 relative to the plate |4|. The pilot pins |54 serve also to locate the blocks |5|, |50, and |46 relative to the plate |4I.

When the molds come together the push-back vpins and |65 meet at the parting line of the two dies and push the plate 62 down and the plate |62 up into the position shown in Fig. 3. When the molds separate the plate |62 is pushed down by springs .|10 which are located in holes |1| provided by plate |42, holes |12 provided by plate |4| and in recesses |13 provided by plate |62. The upper ends of springs |10 press against the head plate 23.

While the lower mold assembly 40 is at the loading station at the right (Fig. 9) preheated molding material is placed in the cylinder 10, the ram 69 being down. After the table is indexed to bring the filled mold under the upper mold assembly |40 the press head plate 23 is lowered to force the upper mold against the lower mold with pressure and the ram 69 is elevated by the upward movement of the piston 3| which becomes automatically connected with the ram after the table indexes. The heated molding material in the cylinder is compressed by upward movement of the ram 69 and is caused to `W to the cavities of the dies against a center block |55 supported by block |5| (Fig. 3) and bearing against block |50, through the grooves 15 in the upper ends of the piston and extensions thereof which are 15a in block 5| and 15b .in blocks 93 and through the more restricted grooves i richiamano-f- @resonance morefifto -t11elowing-stationamif-nou e essem;

;fthe-:moldedpartsromsth l 1.emoldedlpartsfdo-enot ,stckrrflnntheslipo t fmovedlaterally'from the mold ramesnanddre-g sary in thickness accordi-celte that rikleereeesses' f as Therein. disclosed., constitutesa'nief redrformsv L lgihafbe f aclcnfemal1 coming within :.-thefopenofzetlle j .i claims" which follow.

-What lis claimed ismas follows:

it-Tis to bel-understoodvthetother said recesses by lateral movement of said assemblies ,said, fknockoutvv-fpin assemblies including, a plate, an ejector plate 'guided by the frame for, movement towardA and away: fromrthe dies, means f carried bythecentral,portion'otheejector plate l l to provide notches each adapted.tofreceivefgan edge DOQQWO aapllllnns. OII detachably securingv the dies within the die receiving recesses of I theglframe, detachablewrneans for holdingfian edge porionof. therein, plete-molle of the notches ,-and zelsoffor.,securinejhepnrnlete esse ies to the ejector Plates enflfpllshzbak pnseieedring with the ejector plate. A

2. A mold assembly according to claim 1 further characterized by a pressure block supported on the central portion which is part of the frame,

ef 8 s knack:euifnirnsuonoriloeaplete gsaidf entrai rortoneharineaa?. ceriilfel.-

fthalcio-4 plates. eeuclnin,.saidl,locatiomand :means detachably secured to, the side surfaceso; the 4die block@ for securing thef die `ass,embliesiri,the rea-fcessesfthereot f i 4 -5 A; air offrcoopereiing;moldefossemblies at- .ftechebl o relativelyfmorable rpol-ts (o fseepress, ceaohfessembly .including-the construotionfdened f byclaim 7,;,and oneo themv being furthencharacterized by an injection cylinder located;. .in,.a @leritre,1f-,borem the. die :blockfrunnemerooees:provided sby, thecylnden dieflblockiand: die,. assem i .blies-aninjectionL-.ram VIVmovable in thejginjection ioylinder arfamrod. attached to. thefxemrandfhavk"inea:longitudinaligroove. asramsude sleeve-,sup-

ported byfihe` @cortili-Platesenfifretaioedlby sthc plate which, settaehedto. 4the feieotorenlatefboss. e lgeveretan-edibyathe,evidesleeve and extend servo-.Which mores, fthe-ram format riaiiniecticn fpujcpose andtheotherof-j nichrisfoperatedrby i nichmovesftheilieadsnicientew cause catho, ejector-plate forfworlszeieoton the Qther-ofihemQld assemblies beine furtherhel-'eoierizedfbyth f from. plateiW/llenuthe--mold assemblies ereseperated 5- ,-A mold-f assemlolycomprising; a supporting @imesh vinsisideopeninsfrecesses: dieassemlng .-cavites -ei1d A-.lmookeout pin.. assemeivedf-inA saidaccessesnbyflateral-movesaid.. assemblies :aan iejector plate lguided eme ioni-movement; towardfand away mthedies;.means fotoetachably--seourioe,the dies withi-nzthe; die{, receiving,V recesses,.,of, the rame; ,means f orz-olerteclilablyj securing. thehin- Ieio sembliesfto-theeiector.nlat,es;.-pushebaek stendina,throoehlthef,frame endioneree1-y coneetedlwith the e.icetor o latenaainiecf :tionaerlinelenframe supported centrally oflfthe frame, said frame and dieI assemblies havingruniner grooves focicoonec-tii1efiheldie. ,cavities @with he cxioderii, aceiocostrieuticamoldablema terial from the cylinder to the cavities; a ram operable within said cylinder frame; a rod attached to the ram guided by the ejector plate; and a force receiving member provided by the rod and adapted to engage the ejector plate to actuate die assemblies therein,an"ejector plat'e`m'ovable between each main plate andthe die block,

knock-out pin assemblies detachably secured to j the ejector plates and including atleast one extending into the die assemblies; means detachably secured to the side edges of the ejector plates for retaining the pin assemblies thereon, said die assemblies and pin assemblies being removable together from the mold assemblies when the detachable means are removed, an injection cylinder located in a central bore in one of the die blocks, runnergrooves provided by the cylinder,

the said one die block and die assemblies, an injection ram movable in the cylinder and guided `by the ejector plate associated with said one die block, and means for connecting the ram either with a servomctor which causesI the ram to move for the purpose of injecting material inthe cylpress, each assembly including a dieblock supported by one of the movable main plates and having recesses extending in from the surface of the die block, die assemblies in said recesses, means detachably securedto the sides of the die blocks for closing the recesses and securingv the die assemblies therein, an ejector plate movable between each main plate and die block, knockout pin assemblies secured 'to the ejector plates and including at least one pin extending into the die assemblies, means detachably secured to the side edges of the ejectorplate for retaining the pin assemblies thereon, said die assemblies and pin assemblies being removable together'from the mold assemblies when the detachable means are removed; an injection cylinder located in a central bore in one of the die blocks, runner grooves provided by the cylinder, the said one die block and die assemblies; an injection ram movable in the cylinder and guided by the ejector plate associated with said one die block; means for connecting the ram either with a servo which causes the ram to move for the purpose of injecting material in the cylinder when closed by the die block of the rother mold assembly or with a servo which operates when the cylinder is not closed, to cause said connecting means to move one of the ejector plates in orderto cause the knock-out pins to eject the molded parts; and spring means effective to move theother ejector plate away from its main plate when the mold assemblies are separated.

8. A mold assembly comprising a main supporting plate, a die block supported by the plate 'and havin'g'die receiving recesses extending 'from the side surfaces of the block, an ejector plate movable between the supporting plate and the die block and having paris extending from a ce`n tral portion and each providing for the reception of a knock-out pin supporting plate, said central portion having a central b'oss slightly thicker than the pin-plates, a plate attached to the boss and extending beyond it, said extending portions of the plate cooperating with the ejector plate to provide notches each adapted to receive an edge of a pin-plate, die assemblies in said recesses of the die block, knock-out pin assemblies including pin plates resting on the ejector plate and having an edge portion projecting in one of the notches and pins extending from each pin plate into a die assembly, means detachable from the side surface of the ejector plate for securing the pin plates to the ejector plate, and means detachable from the side surfaces of the die block for securing the die assemblies in the recesses thereof.

`9. A pair of cooperating mold assemblies attachable to relatively movable main plates of a press, each assembly including a die block supported by one of the plates and having recesses formed therein; detachable die assemblies secured in said recesses; an ejector plate movable between each main plate and die block; detachable knock-out pin assemblies secured to the ejector plates; an injector cylinder located in a central bore in one of the die blocks; runner grooves provided by the cylinder, the said one die block and die assemblies; an injection ram movable in the cylinder and guided by the ejector plate associated with said one Vdie block; means for connecting the ram either with a servomotor which causes the ram to move for the purpose of injecting material in the cylinder when closed by the die block ofthe other mold assembly or with another servomotor which operates when the cylinder is not closed, to cause said connecting means to move the ejector plates in order to cause the knock out pins to eject the molded parts; and yieldable means eiective to urge the other ejector plate away from its main plate when the mold assemblies are separated.

CHARLES A. NrcHors.'

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

